Exhibiting and advertising device



Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT orties EXHIBITING AND ADVERTISING DEVICE Harry W. Taylor, Oak Park, Ill.

Application June 5, 1937, Serial No. 146,549

9 Claims. (Cl. 40--130) This invention relates to exhibiting and advertising devices and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of this character which will not only attract the attention of the public, but will stimulate interest not only in the articles being exhibited or displayed thereby, but also in the device itself, the operation of which latter is of such a nature as to produce a mystifying effect.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which will be of a simple, durable, compact and inexpensive construction, and effective and efficient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shovm in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a device of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2, Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 3 3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral m designates generally a casing which may be of any desired size and configuration and constructed of any suitable material.

The casing is provided with a view opening I in one of the walls and the cover I2 may, if desired, be removable and secured in position in any suitable manner.

Within the casing is arranged a partition I3 extending from the top to the bottom thereof, dividing the casing into two compartments iii-i5.

Within the compartment i5 is arranged a light-proof chamber i6 constructed in any suitable manner and of any desired or suitable size. The chamber is closed and there is provided ln one of the walls thereof, preferably the top, a series of openings l'i, and if desired the chamber may be lined with any suitable heat insulating material, IS.

This chamber iii is preferably of a size less than the interior of the casing IG and if desired a horizontal platform or partition i9 may be provided in the casing extending to the partition i3, and is spaced for any desired distance above the bottom of the` casing, the platform or partition i8 being held in position in any suit" able manner. l

The chamber IB may project for any desired distance above the platform-iii?, and supported by the top of the chamber is a cushion 2@ which l is provided with openings 2i therethrough which register with the respective openings i'i in the top of the chamber i6.

Upon the cushion 2E) the articles 22 that are to be displayed, are placed. The cushion is constructed of any suitable soft material such as felt or the like, which cooperates with the article to form a light tight joint therebetween.

Arranged within the chamber i6 are suitable illuminating devices here shown as lamps 23 which are supported in any suitable manner.

In the compartment i5, and disposed in advance ofthe partition i3 is transparent member 2Q, preferabiy a panel of glass, which is held in position above the tcp of the chamber it and preferably in proximity to the top of the casing i2, and in an inclined position. The transparent member 213 being removably supported in any suitable manner, preferably by means of the ends thereof extending into guides 25, may be readily moved, if desired, when the top i2 of the casing is removed.

The walls of the compartment i5, which include the front face of the partition i3 as well as the top surface of the partition or platform i9, are darkened preferably by means of a coating of suitable material such as paint or the like, preferably black, as at 25.

The partition I3 may be formed in any suitable manner either entirely or partially of a removable element, the element being provided with suitable openings 2'! therethrough, and which openings may be of any desired delineation so as to form Words or other illustrative matter.

This partition I3 forms the front wall of the compartment Iii in which latter is arranged suit able illuminating means such as a lamp 28, the rays of which latter are directed through the openings 2l in the partition i3.

In order to accentuate the rays from this lamp 28 a portion of the wall 29 which forms a part of the casing and the back wall of the compartment Hi, may be coated or covered with any suitable light coloring matter, such as white, so 'that when the light 28 is lit the light Surface Sd directing the rays through the openings Z'i will cause the latter to be clearly legible.

The front surface of the partition I3 is coated with a dark coating and being disposed behind l the transparent member 24 becomes a reecting surface when the light 28 is extinguished and the lights 23 are lighted. The partition |3, or the portion thereof containing the openings 2'| being removable, it will be manifest that the same may be removed or interchanged with any other similar element.

The lights 23 and 28 are connected to a suitable source of supply of current and a suitable lasher system is employed in the connection, whereby When one of the lights is lighted the other Will be extinguished, and the asher system operates in such a manner that the lights will be alternately lighted and extinguished first to cause, for instance, the light 23v to be lighted and the light 28 to be extinguished. Under these conditions the rays from the light 23 Will be directed through the articles 22 supported upon the cushions 28, while the light 28 Will be extinguished.

inasmuch as the interior of the compartment l5 and the front of the partition |3 are coated or covered with dark material, and as a portion of the partition |3 is behind the transparent member 2li, the rays of light directed through the articles 22 will cause the articles 22 to be reflected by the reector 24.

When the flasher system causes the light 23 to be extinguished and the light 28 to be lighted, the articles, in the present instance being shown as eggs, will become normally opaque, and as the lights 23 are mounted Within the light-proof chamber I3, no reflection will be caused from the articles but the light 28 Will be lighted to cause the reading matter created by the openings 2i in the partition I3 to become clearly visible.

In other Words, during the operation ci the device the lights 23 and 28 are alternately lighted and extinguished. When the lights 23 are lighted and the light 28 extinguished rays of light will not only cause the articles 22 to become translucent but they will cause reflections of these articles to be made by the reflector 24.

Immediately upon extinguishing the light 23 and lighting the light 28, the reflections Will become obliterated while the sign or reading matter caused by the openings 21 will become clearly visible.

Any number of lamps or lights 23 may be employed in the chamber l5, in the present exemplication of the invention tWo are shown, and these lamps are connected in series.

Current is supplied to the lamps from any suitable source through the medium of a plug-in element 3| and a thermostatic ilasher may be employed which may be located in the plug 3|.

This ilasher unit emloodies a thermcstatically controlled member 32 which is connected through the plug 3| to one side of the supply line, and co-operates With a terminal 34-35, the thermostatic element being controlled by the changes of temperature created by the current.

The element 32 is connected to one side of the socket 3S of the lamp 28 by means of a conductor and leading from the terminal 48 of the other side of this socket 36 is a conductor 39 which is also connected with the terminal 35 of the plug 3|. Leading from the socket terminal 48 to one side of the socket 38a is a conductor 4|a, on one side of the socket 38a of one of the lamps 23 and leading from the otherv side of the socket 38a of the lamp 23, is a conductor 42a which is connected to a conductor 43 leading through the plug 3l to the other side of the supply line.

Leading also from the terminal 4!) is a conductor 4| which is connected to one side of the socket 38 of the other lamp 23 and leading from the other side of the socket 38 is aA conductor 42 which is connected with the conductor 43.

When the thermostat element 32 is in contact with the terminal 35 of conductor 39, the circuit through the sockets 38a. and 38 will be completed and the current will flow as follows to light the lamps 23, viz., from the side A of the supply line through contact 35, conductor 35a to terminal 43, Where it will be divided, a portion thereof flowing through conductor 42, through the socket 38, conductor 4| to terminal 40.

The current will also flow from the terminal 43 through conductor 42a, socket 38a, conductor Illa, to terminal 4U. From the terminal 40 the current flows through the socket 36, conductor 33, through the flasher and thermostat element 32 to the other side B of the supply line. This will cause the lights 23 in the sockets 38a and 38 to be lighted, and as the current is thus iiowing, the line or conductor 39 will be dead.

When the heat in the plug 3| is suicient to cause the asher or thermostat element to move out of contact with the terminal of the conductor 33 and into contact with the terminal 39a of the conductor 3S, the line or conductor 33 will be dead and the lamp in the socket 36 will be extinguished. Under these conditions the current will flow as follows to light the lights in the sockets 38e- 38, viz., from the line A, through the plug to terminal 35 through conductor 35a to terminal 43, dividing so that part Will now through conductor 42, through socket 38, out through conductor 4| to terminal 40. same time the other part of the current will flow from terminal 43, through conductor' 42a, socket 38a, conductor Ma, to terminal 48. From terminal 48 the current Will ilow through conductor 39 back to the plug terminal 35, through flasher or thermostat element 32 to the other side B of the supply line. When this circuit is completed, the line or conductor 33 will be dead.

Thus it Will be seen that the circuits through socket 36. and through the sockets 38a. and 38, Will be alternately opened and closed, and Will be controlled by the flasher or thermostat element 32, the latter being itself controlled or infiuenced by changes in temperature, or the heating or cooling of the said element.

With this arrangement the lighting and extinguishing of the lamps will be automatically controlled and they will be alternately lighted and extinguished.

While one form or Wiring of a flasher system has been herein shown and described it is to be understood that any other forms or wiring may be employed, to effect the alternate lighting and extinguishing of the lamps.

If desired a portion of the cover |2 may be hinged as at |2a so that an operator may raise said section and directly inspect the articles 22, affording an opportunity to the operator of candling the eggs 22, if eggs are employed in the apparatus.

While the preferred form of the invention has ieen herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, Without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a View opening in one wall thereof, a

At the closed light-proof chamber in the casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article to be exhibited, illuminating means Within said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, means for causing a reection of the article Within the casing When said illuminating means is rendered active, a sign within the casing, illuminating means for the sign, and thermostatic means common to said illuminating means for alternately rendering one active and the other inactive.

2. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a view opening in one wall thereof, a closed light-proof chamber in the casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article to be exhibited, illuminating means Within said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, means for causing a reflection of the article Within the casing when said illuminating means is rendered active, a sign Within the casing, illuminating means for the sign, and means common to the said illuminating means and operating automatically to alternately render one active and the other inactive, said sign illuminating means being disposed behind the sign and directing its rays through predetermined portions of the sign.

3. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a view opening in one Wall thereof, a closed light-proof chamber in the casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article to be exhibited, illuminating means Within said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, means for causing a reflection of the article Within the casing when said illuminating means is rendered active, and means operating automatically to render said illuminating means active and inactive, the said reflecting means embodying a transparent member and a darkened surface therebehind.

4. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a View opening in one wall, the inner surfaces of the Walls being darkened, a light-proof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reflecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reflection of the article only When said light is lighted, and means operating automatically to cause said light to be alternately lighted and extinguished.

5. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a View opening in one Wall, the inner surfaces of the walls being darkened, a light-proof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one wall adapted to be closed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reflection of the article only when said light is lighted, and thermostatic means for causing said light to be alternately lighted and extinguished.

6. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a view opening in one Wall, the inner surfaces of the walls being darkened, a lightproof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reilecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reflection of the article only when said light is lighted, a sign in the casing, a light in the casing for illuminating said sign, and means common to said lights and operating automatically to cause the lights to be alternately lighted and extinguished.

7. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a View opening in one Wall, the inner surfaces of the Walls being darkened, a light-proof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reection of the article only when said light is lighted, a sign in the casing, a light in the casing for illuminating said sign, means common to said lights and operating automatically to cause the lights to be alternately lighted and extinguished, the second said light being disposed behind the sign and directing its rays through predetermined portions of the sign, and means for accentuating the rays from the last said light.

8. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a view opening in one Wall, the inner surfaces of the Walls being darkened, a light-proof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be cl'osed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reection of the article only when said light is lighted, a sign in the casing, a light in thecasing for illuminating said sign, and means common to said lights and operating automatically to cause the lights to be alternately lighted and extinguished, said lights being isolated from each other.

9. An exhibiting device embodying a casing having a View opening in one Wall, the inner surfaces of the Walls being darkened, a lightproof chamber in the casing, said casing having an opening in one Wall adapted to be closed by the article being exhibited, an electric light in said chamber disposed to direct its rays through the article, reflecting means in the casing and beyond said chamber for causing a reflection of the article only when said light is lighted, a sign in the casing, a light in the casing for illuminating said sign, means common to said lights and operating automatically to cause the lights to be alternately lighted and extinguished, and means common to the lights whereby they may be connected to a source of supply of current.

HARRY W. TAYLOR. 

